Sarah Michelle Gellar: TV Offers Me a Flexible Schedule

Topping off her new gig as Bridget Cafferty in the new CW drama Ringer, the actress also has longtime hubby Freddie Prinze, Jr. and their 22-month-old daughterCharlotte Grace to come home to every night.

“[Freddie’s] great, he loves it,” Gellar, 34, told PEOPLE at the CBS TCA party in Beverly Hills on Wednesday of her man supporting her latest career move. “He’s perfectly happy to stay at home and put the baby to bed.”

It’s been almost a decade since Gellar starred on a TV show, and the actress says she “loves” being back in the saddle.

“I didn’t realize how much I miss the atmosphere until I started back,” Gellar — who once played iconic Buffy Summers on Buffy the Vampire Slayer — explains.

“There’s something about television … seeing the same people everyday, looking forward to the scripts — I’m loving it more than I thought I was going to.”

“I want to be able to go home at night and see my daughter,” she explains. “I want to be there for her first day of school and her school recital. Television offers me that — they’re amazing at working around schedules. All of the big milestones I’m there for.”

“TV offers me a flexible schedule” — perhaps, but what I find interesting about this quote is that I’ve heard similar remarks from actresses who only do movies. People like Angelina, Naomi Watts, Nicole Kidman, Rachel Weisz are a few that come to mind that have said things along the lines of they will only work or select projects that are compatible with their kids and don’t impinge on family time.

Joanna
on August 4th, 2011

Sarah changed her name to Sarah Michelle Prinze, you should update her name on the atricle.

Maggie
on August 4th, 2011

She did change her last name personally, but professionally she still uses Gellar. Check all the marketing for her new show. I have seen “Gellar Prinze” in some places as well.

Sharlee
on August 4th, 2011

I agree with cn tower. In fact, I have heard that the schedule for series actors is the most grueling schedule in acting. I dunno, I guess I don’t call coming home at 9pm every night all that flexible. She says that she will be there for all the important moments in her daughter’s life, but gosh, isn’t that when grand parents and aunties are supposed to be there? A parent is supposed to be there for far more moments than just the important ones. Freddie is the winner in it all.

Jen
on August 4th, 2011

I really like her and she was amazing as Buffy! I’m glad she is coming back to TV!

Katrina
on August 4th, 2011

I have yet to see a picture of Freddie Prinze Jr and his daughter! In fact I NEVER see pictures of Sarah and Freddie together.

Stephanie
on August 4th, 2011

I am trilled Sarah is finally coming back to tv!!! For die-hard Buffy fans like myself, its been eight long years since Buffy slayed her last vampire. I am glad she gets to have the best of both worlds!!! Her daughter is too adorable!!!

Maybe
on August 4th, 2011

Freddie values privacy, and when your handsome 15minutes passes….you really need to hire good PR people to keep you front and center and into the hearts of fans.

Indira
on August 4th, 2011

Wow she really looks aged in this photo! Not like herself at all.

MommytoanE
on August 4th, 2011

LOL She wasn’t gonna stay young forever.

9PM is wrong? Exactally what time is a right time for a parent to come home? Some people, aren’t on the perfect daytime schedule of waking at 6, sleeping at 8 sorry to say. Unfortunately this is the real world…where second and third shifters coexhist with first shifters.

That being said…my daughter had a “normal” schedule for us until she started school, then had to move toa daytime schedule. When she was a baby/tot, she went to bed at midnight, woke up at noon. She still had plenty of friends, activities to attend and a wonderful childhood. Different, I know. But it was a schedule to accomidate her dad’s 2nd shift schedule. He needed to see her and spend time with her as much as I did. SO. Keep in mind. Not everyone puts their toddlers to bed at 8PM. Not everyone wakes up at 6AM.

AND FYI. Freddie is directing now, not acting as much. *gasp* so he’s not this perfect sahd like you think. Do research before you judge.

Tia
on August 4th, 2011

Ladies! Let’s see more support for women doing what they love AND being great moms! The paparazzi photos hardly tell the true stories of celebrity and that aged look on Sarah is, in fact, age. She’s older, stronger, and wise enough to get back in the game. She’s someone’s mom now and it looks damn good on her! Go girl!

Lizzie
on August 4th, 2011

Sarah Michelle IS simply beautiful & what a BLESSING that she has been married to her hubby, Freddie for as long as she has AND what a true BLESSING that they have that cutie of a daughter,Charlotte Grace!! I wish them JOY, HAPPINESS, HEALTH & true SERENITY!! (~_~)

^^^I am with, Tia! Women have came a long way…and I am glad that Sarah has made the decision to work because she WANTS to. I am sure before she took this role on Ringer that she asked to have a flexible schedule and emphasis that her daughter and her husband come first!

As Toni Morrison says, women can do both and have being doing both (working and being a mom) for CENTURIES. So, I look forward to her latest stint…and seeing her stretch her acting muscles again!

Katie
on August 4th, 2011

MommytoanE, thanks for your comment. 🙂 My sons are on a similar schedule to your’s. It’s not ideal, but when I work days and my husband is second shift that’s the best we can do. They spend most of their days with Mom or Dad with just a few hours with a sitter in the afternoon. My husband will be on day shift by the time our oldest starts school. Having them on a “normal” person’s schedule now would be ridiculous.

Sarah’s doing what she has to.

MommytoanE
on August 4th, 2011

Katie, YW! It drives me bonkers to see people say that a set time is the right or wrong time for someone else. I’m of the opinion to do what works best for you. Kids have plenty of time before school and they adjust sooooo quickly! My DD was completely adjusted, getting up at 7AM on her own (no alarms neccessary for this monkey) by the time school started…we just phased the time change over the corse of a month to make it less brutal on all of us. Only impt part is routine.

Its sad to see other mom’s bashing on eachother. We’re supposed to be in this together not judging eachother for every decision we choose to make. Remember…you make the decisions that’s right for your family and keep your nose out of the business of the choices someone else makes for theirs. There are no wrong choices, no right choices. Its only your choices that matter.

So, lets stop this bashing. Lets stop nit picking on everything and try to make this blog a better place to be. People wonder why there is so much hostility in the world. Perhaps its because of all the judgements.

alicejane
on August 5th, 2011

Thank you Tia!!! I agree 100%. I loved Sarah on Buffy and am excited to see her on TV again, and it’s great that she has a job with flexibility! Good for her and her family, and good for us viewers.

Rena
on August 5th, 2011

I actually find it kind of funny that now she says tv is perfect. She quit Buffy because she wanted to do movies and felt that tv was a dead end thing for her but since that time she hasn’t been in any note worthy movies and now she’s crawling back to where she got started.

Kat
on August 5th, 2011

Good lord people, we’d all like to stay home with our kids – but you still need an income! TV might be flexible for her, it is more like a 9 to 5 job, depending on the staff they probably worked out a good schedule. Movie aren’t really that flexible, you are pretty much ‘owned’ for a few months and then you are done, it depends on how it fits your family.

I’m glad to see her acting again. Even in movies that were seen as flops, I’ve always enjoyed her!

Jes
on August 5th, 2011

Looking forward to this new show and seeing SMG back on TV. Loved her as Kendall on AMC (can’t wait to see her guest appearance on an up coming episode) then later as Buffy and in her movies. I think its great that she and Freddie keep a nice low prifile family life, and not out parting and flaunting themselves for papar.

Ally
on August 5th, 2011

Tia, you rock for your comment. If only other posters on this site would take a similar attitude…

Holly
on August 8th, 2011

@Rena – SMG didn’t quit Buffy because she was sick of TV. She had done Buffy for 7 years, and wanted to move on to other projects. Besides that was 8 years ago! People change thier minds and jobs. She isn’t crawling back to anything.

Agree with the other comments, stop bashing on her. She is trying her best to lead a balanced life with her husband, for her daughter. This isn’t the 1950’s – women can work, and have a child. Looking forward to seeing her in the new show.

MiB
on August 8th, 2011

@Rena, or she realized that the grass wasn’t greener on the other side…

Pearl
on August 8th, 2011

One of them has to earn a living you think?

Jennifer
on August 8th, 2011

@cn tower I’ve heard actors say that film is more flexible and better for their schedules too, because they can pick and choose which projects they take and pick projects based on how long filming is supposed to take or where it shoots etc. Although if you live in LA and are filming in Chicago then you may be away from your family for 4-8 weeks unless you’re bringing your kids and partner on location with you. Whereas with tv if you live in LA and film in LA then you can see your family everyday before and after work. But since Sarah isn’t a newbie to the industry maybe they agreed to provide her with some added flexibility when she signed on or something.

Charlotte
on August 8th, 2011

I, for one, am totally looking forward to seeing SMG back on the small screen. I have really missed her! As for the others who want to criticize her decision to, oh, I don’t know…EARN a living, get over yourself. I agree with the other posters that it’s ridiculous for women to be so critical and hateful towards other women instead of being supportive. Sometimes, it really feels like women are our worst enemies. And she looks AWESOME. Heaven forbid, I said something positive about someone on the internet!

Lucky Tiger
on August 9th, 2011

Hello,
Everyone needs to stop critizing Sarah Michelle Prinze. She has a decision and if she wants to work then go for it. If Freddie wants to take care of daughter right on. So whats the big idea. If she looks younger or older thats part of life get a hold of yourselves. Yes, they been married for a long time and I’m happy for that couple and Charlotte too. As long as they aren’t cheating on each other or getting crazy where gossip strikes. So women and men have a choice to do whatever anybody wants to do they both work and make money and so WHAT! Let people live their own lives busy bodies and go get a job so that you won’t spend too much time on the internet finding negative commets.
Lucky Tiger

Pete
on August 10th, 2011

No, She still uses Gellar professionally as seen in the promo for her new show “Ringer”. She uses Prinze personally, many famous actresses do that Demi Moore and Jennifer Garner changed to their spouses names but kept it for film projects.